Amylase Enzyme
- Thread starter KayaBrew
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It is better to add it to the mash, because then you have better control over it. That is, you can just boil the wort to stop it from breaking down sugars. When you add it to the fermenter, you don't have as much control unless you pasteurize, ultra-filter, or otherwise get rid of it.
annasdadhockey
Well-Known Member
Does it break down complex sugars into simple sugars, or just starches to sugars?
I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure starch is a complex sugar.
Edcculus
Well-Known Member
do you have any reason need amalayse enzyme? If you are doing all grain, base malts(2 row, pils, maris otter etc) have enough diastatic power to convert all of your malts.
If you add it straight to the wort after boiling, you will really dry out the beer.
If you add it straight to the wort after boiling, you will really dry out the beer.
ADH, I read your thread from yesterday and I'm in a similar spot. I brewed 5 gallons of an AG toasted Oatmeal Stout. Mashed at 153-154, and had an OG of 1.066. After 2 weeks at 66-70F it only got down to 1.024. (I used 2 packs of rehydrated S-04). 1.024 is NOT going to cut it (I'm shooting for 1.016-ish), so I'm considering AE. Good luck with your IPA!
annasdadhockey
Well-Known Member
Thanks Kaya, same to you. Are you gonna try the amylase? I bought some today and was about to put it in the fermenters.
ChshreCat
Well-Known Member
One question... why won't 1.024 cut it? Is it tasting overly sweet as it is? Or do you just really want more alcohol in it?
So far, it's pretty gross (sweet). I might try adding AE, or I might just leave it on the cake for six to eight weeks, then bottle it, then bury it in a closet to age for a looong time. I can't decide. AE seems like cheating, but I'm so damn frustrated. I did everything right. I even double pitched. Could toasting the oats in the oven have something to do with this?
ChshreCat
Well-Known Member
You've tried rousing the yeast and warming the fermenter up a little bit?
The thing is... if it's sweet, it sounds more like a stuck ferment. The enzyme won't restart a stuck ferment. What it'll do is turn unfermentables into fermentable sugar. But if your yeast isn't eating the sugar that's already in there, then making more sugar won't get things going. Then, if and when the yeast do chew through all that sugar, you're going to end up dryer than you planned on and won't have the beer you expect.
The thing is... if it's sweet, it sounds more like a stuck ferment. The enzyme won't restart a stuck ferment. What it'll do is turn unfermentables into fermentable sugar. But if your yeast isn't eating the sugar that's already in there, then making more sugar won't get things going. Then, if and when the yeast do chew through all that sugar, you're going to end up dryer than you planned on and won't have the beer you expect.
I tried the rousing/warming. No change for 5 days. But your explanation of the enzyme is what I was looking for. I think I'll just ride this one out, then age it. Thanks for the info!
Depending on how hard you roasted the oatmeal, you might just have high levels of unfermentables. You could draw off a small sample and add AE to see if it would help. Nothing says you have to hit the whole batch first.
That's an interesting idea...
Well, I've had a barleywine stuck at 1.040. I tried warming, rousing, added champagne yeast. Nothing. I just added AE. Will I need to boil this later then to denature the AE? Ick.
